Freight-car shipping appliance



March 25, 1930. V G. BOROWKA FREIGHT CAR SHIPPING APPLIANCE 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Feb. 8, 1929 In uenior 6 607.76 Borax/kw Attorney March 25, 1930. G. "BOROWKA FREIGHT CAR SHIPPING APPLIANCE Filed Feb. 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor V 66027 eBanow/fia/ A itorney Patented Mar. 25, 1930 PATENT orrlclz GEORGE BOROWIZA, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN I FREIGHT-CAR SHIPPING APPLIANCE Application filed February 8, 1929. Serial No. 388,460.

This invention relates to improvements in appliances or devices adapted for use in freight cars to aid in the shipment of automobiles and the like. At the present time,

5 many makeshift devices and means are provided'for this purpose, and many of the hoisting and stacking devices are of unusually complicated and expensive design.

The purpose of this invention is to provide- Figure 2 is a plan View of the floor of the.

frei ht car with the devices removed.

Figure 3 is an enlarged end View of one of the adjustable wheel chocks.

"Figure 4 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the complete wheel clamps and retaining devices. I

Figure 5 is a detail view of an anchoring device.

Figure 6 is a detail view of one of the parts of the device seen in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a retainin latch.

lu carrying out-the invention, I provide four distinguishable wheel clamping and retaining devices. Each device is the same in construction and a description of one will sufiice for all. These devices are associated with spaced parallel longitudinally extending tracks of the design seen in Figures 2, 3 and 4. For instance, as shown in Figure 2, I provide a pair of spaced parallel grooves or slots 8 in the floor 9. The floor is also counter-grooved along the edges of the main groove, to accommodate flat rail forming plates 10. These are disposed flush with the top of the floor, as seen in Figure 3, and the inner edges'are spaced apart, thereby forming what may be broadly referred to as. spaced parallel guide and retaining tracks. The reference character 11 designates generally the body of the car. The reference character 12 designates the hinged lid cooperating with the compartment (not shown) adapted to contain the various parts of the appliances constituting the various parts of the invention.. In other words, the appliances may be placed in the compartment'when not in use, to provide unrestricted space in the car.

Each retaining device is as shown in Figure 4, and comprises a pair of complemental adjustable wheel chocks 13. These are shaped to conform to the tread portion of the tire of the complemental wheel, as shown in Figure 1. They have fiat bottoms resting. on the rail plate 10, and each chock is provided with I guide and retaining bolt 14, extending between the rail plates, and into the main slot, the head bridging the plate as shown in Figure 3, to provide an appropriate connection.

These chocks are jammed against opposite portions of the tire as shown in Figure 1, and means is provided for holding them in this adjusted position. Each chock is provided with a connecting bar 15, one end of which is provided with rack teeth 16. Moreover the chocks are formed on opposite sides with grooves 15 to accommodate the connecting bars as seen in Figure 3. As seen in the last named figure each chock has a pivoted retaining latch 17, provided with teeth 18, (see Figure 7) en ageable with the complemental rack teeth. The latch is operable in a suitable guide 19 and may be lifted and retained in a disengaged position by way of an eccentric disc' 20. Rigidly fastened to the intermediate portions of the rack bars are apertured brackets 21, which cooperate with the chain anchoring devices.

One of these devices is shown in Figure 5- and comprises a chain 22, which is adapted to be placed about the hub of the wheel and over a suitable protecting pad. On the free end of the chain is an adjusting and retaining link'23 the restricted end portion of which is selectively engageable with the retaining teeth 24, on the rod member 25. The chain is of course fastened to this, at one end, as

here shown. The rod has a screw'threaded \portion 26, which extends through an aperture in the complemental bracket 21, and a retaining nut 27 is provided for holding the rod in an adjusted sosition. This device acts to bind the wheel own between the tool clampin chocks and prevents accidental vertical 1i ing or sidewise displacement of the wheel.

In practice, it is obvlous that the individual wheel chocks and clam ing devices are simply adjusted toward and rom each other in the tracks and hound against the tire as shown in Figure 1. The oppositely arranged .rack bars and retaining latches serve to hold the checks in adjusted position. Then the anchoring devices consisting of the chain and toothed rod are secured in place to'prevent vertical lifting and side'wise shifting. All of these parts therefore cooperate in securely anchoring each wheel to the car floor.

A careful consideration of the description in conjunction with the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding of the same. Therefore a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and rear ran ement of details comin within the field of nvention claimed may e resorted to in actual practice if desired.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the class described, a wheel clamping and retaining device comprising a pair of complemental chocks each provided with a toothed rack bar extending through an opening in the complemental chock, individual pivotally mounted retain ing latches on said chocks cooperable with the rack bars, guides for said latches, and lifting and retaining elements for the latches. 2. In a structure of the class described, a wheel clamping and retaining device comprisin a pair of complemental chocks each provi ed with a toothed rack bar extending through an opening in the complemental chock, individual pivotally mounted retaining latches on said chocks cooperable with the ad acent rack bars,- ides for said latches, and lifting and retaming elements for the latches, together with apertured brackets on said rack bars for cooperation with adjustable hub anchoring devices.

' 3. In a structure of the class described, a hub anchoring device comprisin a chain adapted to encircle a hub, a toothe rod with which one end of the chain is connected, a link on the free end of the chain cooperable 'with' the teeth on the rod, said rod being screw threaded and provided with a retainm nut, and'a wheel clamping and retaining evice with which said rod is adapted to be connected. I V

4. As a new product of manufacture, a

wheel chock comprising a body adapted for sliding mounting shaped to cooperate with all mounted latch mounted on the chock, a 70 gmde for the latch, and lifting and retaining means for the latch.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. GEORGE BOROWKA.

the tread portion of a tire, said chock being 

